Establishing a ‘Culture of Prayer’: Holistic Spirituality and the Social Transformation of Contemporary Evangelicalism

10.1163/9789004260498_016

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Chapter Summary

This chapter examines a particular Christian prayer movement called 24-7 Prayer. It aims for a deeper look into the question of how prayer became so popular as a form of 'holistic spirituality' and how it is now used to indicate religious transformations. The chapter argues that this is particularly true for the European context where Evangelical Christianity is increasing while traditional churches lose members. The aim for 'holistic spirituality' can also be understood sociologically as a reaction to public discourses on religious fundamentalism and as an attempt to offer new ways to live a fully committed religious life without coming under the light of religious extremism. The main focus of the 24-7 Prayer movement is thus to indicate a shift away from institutionalized forms of religious practices such as emotionally laden Sunday church services toward a 'daily rhythm of prayer'.